Pompey bosses score for Round Table Children’s Wish in charity run

18 senior representatives of the club braved the heavy rain and completed the 10-mile course at Southsea– raising a total of £10,000 for the Bournemouth-based charity.

They included Directors Bruce Vandenberg and Roberto Avondo. Manager Harry Redknapp, a patron of RTCW, had high hopes of taking part but was scuppered by a calf-injury.

Director of Communications at Portsmouth FC Gary Double, who also took part, said: “Most of the guys had been training hard and they all ran a little quicker than they expected. Peter Storrie even completed a training program with the club’s fitness expert in preparation for the run.

“We had a lot of support from the players. All of the staff at Portsmouth FC were moved by the work of Round Table Children’s Wish – it’s a fantastic charity and we’re delighted to support them.”

Around 54 runners took part in the event on Sunday October 28 for RTCW – raising thousands of pounds to help grant wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses.

Wish co-ordinators are hard at work planning trips to meet Santa in Lapland this Christmas. Other popular wishes include trips to Disneyland Paris and visits to meet sporting heroes. With the average wish costing £1,500, this huge cash injection will help guarantee wishes for many children.

Julie Atherton, fundraising co-ordinator, said: “We’re overwhelmed by the support from Portsmouth FC – their presence on the day helped raise the profile of the charity and their incredible fundraising will make many childhood dreams come true.

“Through their involvement we hope other families with very poorly children may come to know of us. We’re grateful to all of the runners who endured tough conditions on Sunday to complete the course and raise funds. Our thanks also go to everyone who supported them on the day. It may have been wet and windy but it was a lot of fun to watch.”